The Druidic Order
The Druidic Order is a loosely connected network of druids who roam Mirilarin, particularly the Northlands, in an attempt to survey the land and state of nature. Some druids roam the lands to observe, curate and educate; others remain hermetic and focus entirely on the state of nature without interacting with people outside the Order. Broken Tusk and Lucca were both members of this group. The Order is almost entirely decentralized, and generally its members only meet face-to-face due to coincidence or in times of great crisis for the Order or the natural world in its entirety. Individual members communicate by leaving each other messages in the natural world or through animal messengers to inform one another of important facts or report unusual changes. Though it is generally regarded as a religious movement, as druids channel divine powers similar to clerics, they do not subscribe to a particular set of scriptures or customs. While there are certain aspects of druidism that are common between individuals, there are just as many differences. This is in part because individual members take it upon themselves to induct apprentices into the order, with each master using his or her own judgement with regards to how best to train their charges. The success or failure of the new members therefore hinges on the effectiveness with which each individual master imparts lessons. Besides those training initiates, most druids practice independently of each other, all with their own unique priorities. After the All Invasion, five druids moved to Chicao to heal the lands burned by the Firehawk, spreading the order in earnest around Akroum and beyond. Though there are druidic traditions around the globe that predate the Order, particularly the notions of the codes one must follow to awaken as a mage and the codic language shared among members, it is not the only organized conclave of druids; however, it is one of the most stable, longest-surviving examples of druidic religious tradition. Customs Druids hold one thing true above all else: nature is a sacred force to be studied, maintained, protected and revered. Some interpret this as meaning that they should become one with nature, living the life of a hermit in the wilderness, often becoming fluent in shapechanging to better adapt to the ecosystem where they live and to empathize and bond with the natural order. Others feel that this means it is their duty to educate farmers, travelers and city dwellers in how to best harmonize with the environment, teaching agricultural practices, bringing green space to cities or even influencing urban policy. Some druids have a particular affinity for a certain niche, such as protecting an endangered species, cataloging plant species or animal behaviours, or guarding a particularly important natural area, such as a spring or ancient tree. Others feel the need to wander from place to place, gathering and spreading their knowledge like seeds on the wind. At the end of the day, each individual druid finds the aspect of nature that they most identify with, and make it their life's work to uphold that goal. Beyond the cardinal understanding of nature holding primacy, druids have no formal rules or codes that they follow. Each druid has their own interpretation of how to balance nature; initiates are taught to respect these varied viewpoints, as they emulate nature in their network of interconnected yet differing forms of life. The commonalities between druids exist in the few traditions that are all passed down from master to apprentice. Initiates are trained to respect nature; how to survive in the wilderness, and how to be at one with their surroundings. They are trained in prayer: though the words and tokens are always personal, each druid learns to conduct a focusing ritual of praise towards the natural world, which is what in turn allows them to channel their unique magical gifts. They are also trained to eschew certain comforts and tools of the civilized world, as a symbol of their dedication to nature, and how to recognize, read and write in Druidic, the secret codified system druids use to communicate their findings with each other. Upon the completion of their training, which takes from months to years, depending on the individuals, the initiates are taken to one of the Archdruids to pass an exam of sorts. Should they sufficiently display their commitment and knowledge, the initiate will be named a full druid. They will recieve a sleeve tattoo on their left forearm that describes, in Druidic, aspects of themselves, their heritage, and their discoveries, which will be added to throughout their lives. Not only is this tattoo the most distinguishing and recognizable feature of a druid, allowing members of the Order to quickly identify each other, but it is also seen as a very important spiritual marker for the individual. Many druids, upon passing their initiation, will take on new names, often those of animals or plants. Organization Druids are highly decentralized; they have no formal buildings or meeting grounds, and exist as many individuals with a strong oral tradition. Similarly, they have no particular organizational structure. There are, however, three distinct classes of druid. Initiates are druids-in-training. They may or may not possess the skills of a full druid, such as spellcasting or knowledge of Druidic. They encompass all individuals who have had at least some training, but who have not yet been recognized and recieved their tattoos. Druids are all of those who have completed their training, have been recognized and have recieved their tattoos. There are no tiers or levels of druid; all are considered equal. Archdruids are considered by some to be greater than the average druid, though even they are not formally distinct. Archdruids are those who are seen as the most wise, most skilled, and most knowledgable. They are the ones who collect all druidic writings and compile them; they are the ones who test and recognize initiates, and draw their tattoos. Their task is not to guard and observe nature: it is to guard and observe the druids, ensuring their traditions continue, culminating the fruits of the druids' labours and caring for the sum of druidic knowledge. Much like initiates, Archdruids will take on apprentices, though only of the most promising druids, and in doing so appoint their own successors. It is never clearly known how many Archdruids there are, but every druid knows at least one, and how to contact them in times of need or to have their apprentices tested. Though the Order has no formal buildings or meeting locations, it is rumoured that the Archdruids keep a vast and incalculable library somewhere in secret. Category:Organisation Notable DruidsCategory:Religion Here follows some notable druids who have influenced the story or characters in some way: * Broken Tusk: A Northlander from the Ihalmuit tribe, Broken Tusk was a druid noted for his mastodon companion Traveler, for his efforts to educate farmers on holistic techniques, and for his extremely unusual contribution to the druidic archives: a story about Yeto politics, Infernal magic and a pair of feuding devils. * Lucca Wakiya: A Northlander from Tsimshian, Lucca was a druid specializing in urban integration of natural space. His most noted contributions were in organizing the druids in the aftermath of the invasion of the All in their efforts to restore natural order, and in introducing the Order to the continent of Akroum, in the relocation of four other individuals. He was married, rare for a druid, to a non-druidic man named Victor. * Black Dog: Broken Tusk's teacher, and a Northlander from the Korova tribe. Black Dog was a wanderer who specialized mainly in druidic philosophy, and who was rather fond of grass, specifically the type that could be smoked. * Copper Moon: Lucca's teacher. His studies revolved around migratory birds, but his personal paths led him into just as many bars as nesting grounds. * Astrid: An elven woman originally born in Riolythe, Astrid spent many years appreciating nature from a broader, ecological standpoint rather than restricting herself to a single niche. She is notable for her rather extensive cartographic contributions to the archives, especially in the otherwise-lacking areas of the Seldarin Mountains and Yeto. * Piper: Daughter of Astrid and Vol Pontedarian, Piper was born and raised a druid. She was a wandering individual, who's focus lay in the life and habits of mountain drakes. * Kothaka: An orcish man who studied the species interaction of wildlife in the western Northlands, Kothaka will be remembered for his self-sacrifice in Broken Tusk's story. Category:Asanon Category:Northlands